Early Pop/Rock series and TA Series

Click or tap image for track listing and cover images.

Serial number

Title

Artist

Year

Matrix Number

Notes

PRX5638 Majestic

26 Groovy Greats Volume 1

Various

1967

153359

This is one of the early releases with some truncated tracks. Easy to find and usually less than $10 for a copy in excellent condition. Only worth buying for collection completeness.
There is no mention of Majestic on record label, just CBS Special products and CBS logo.

PRX5638 Majestic

26 Groovy Greats Volume 2

Various

1967

153361

HH600 Majestic

24 Happening Hits

Various

1968

155933

Truncated Tracks – see above.

SH700 Majestic

24 Solid Hits

Various

1968

159955

Truncated Tracks – see above.

PH800 Majestic

20 Power Hits

Various

1969?

161229

First issue with full tracks and first with the Majestic crown logo.

DH810 Majestic

20 Dynamic Hits

Various

1970

162344

Majestic

20 Electrifying Hits

Various

1970

163379

SH701 Majestic

20 Solid Hits Vol. 2

Various

164379

On the rear cover it states: CBS Special Products – A Service of CBS Records. Created exclusively for Majestic Products Limited.
This is the first record to have the early K-Tel symbol.

TA240 Majestic

20 Dynamic Hits Vol. 2

Various

165583

TA241 Majestic

20 Electrifying Hits Vol. 2

Various

166089

TA242 Majestic

Happening Hits Vol. 2

Various

166441

TA243 Majestic

Solid Hits Vol. 3

Various

166417

TA244 Majestic

Dynamic Hits Vol. 3

Various

167309

TA245 Majestic

Happening Hits Vol. 3

Various

169497

Original sticker price $3.99.

TA246 Majestic

Super Bad

Various

170106

TA247 Majestic

Rock Explosion

Various

1973

171470

One of the few with an actual publishing date on label.

TA248 Majestic

Fantastic

Various

171794

TA249 K-Tel

Unreal

Various

1974

172748

TA250 K-Tel

Bobby Dazzler

Various

1974

173801

TA251 K-Tel

Mind Bender

Various

174734

TA252 K-Tel

Outa Sight

Various

176179

TA253 K-Tel

Turned On

Various

176559

TA254 K-Tel

Super Sound

Various

176888

TA255 K-Tel

Right On

Various

177724

TA256 K-Tel

Teaser

Various

178255

TA257 K-Tel

Rager

Various

178793

TA258 K-Tel

Dynamite 78

Various

1978

179839

TA259 K-Tel

Hot Trax

Various

186813

TA260 K-Tel

Stepin’ Out

Various

187698

TA261 K-Tel

Action Replay

Various

1979

188388

TA262 K-Tel

Sizzler

Various

191963

This cover comes in two versions one with a normal finish and one in a metallic silver reflective finish.

This page mainly covers the TA series which were compilations of Top 40 tracks from the previous 6 months or so prior to release. This series was aimed squarely at the teenage market. Many were advertised on television and radio. It was clearly the most popular of the Majestic/K-Tel records genre, and every teenager had at least a few in their home. Although the records clearly sold well, they did not appear on any charts in Australia.

This series covers all three phases of pressings. Pre TA series Majestic pressings appear to have been handled by ARC/CBS. When K-tel was officially formed a consolidated numbering system is started and pressings appear to be handled by Festival. This final two in the TA series 269 and 270 were not “current pop hits” compilations. AS 269 does not have matrix numbers it appears that this was (mis) handled by RCA and probably should have received an NA series number.

The move to RCA in about 1982 was at the hight of the alliances that the Australian music industry formed for releasing their own compilations. Of note is that all the tracks on, “The Chosen Few” (TA 266), were licensed exclusively from WEA. A large proportion of tracks on “Prime Cuts” (TA267) are from CBS, and “Straight Ahead” (TA 268) contains mostly PolyGram licensed material (with a few from RCA). Also worth noting here is that both TA 266 and TA 267, appear to have been released simultaneously, as their MX (matrix) numbers are only 22 apart.

K-tel not only moved to RCA, but also closed the 6 monthly pop retrospectives. These were probably their biggest money spinners, but further pop compilations were to appear in the NA series from time to time such as “Raiders of the Pop Charts”. Nonetheless, K-tel was not the only company struggling with Concept/J&B in a similar situation. K-tel headquarters though was no doubt thinking of other things as they expanded rapidly into oil and real estate. This led to a major crisis, and the company was bankrupt by 1986 and K-tel withdrew from the Australian market ending a 20 year association with Australia.

Numbering

Early issues CBS related issues have random numbering system based on the album title and are branded Majestic.

The TA series coincides with the change to a consolidated numbering system and the move to Festival and the formation of K-tel. However, the early K-Tel branding appears on 20 Solid Hits Volume 2 (SH701). The Majestic crown continues to appear as the main front logo until Fantastic (TA248), and is not dropped from rear covers until 1980 with Squeezed Out (TA265). The TA series is phased out at TA 270, around 1983, when licensing became too expensive for regular all Top 40 song compilations.

The T series is common to Australia (TA), North America (TU) and the United Kingdom (TE).

The consolidated series begins with TA240 and ends at TA270.

TA 267 is out there but very rare – possibly because of its wholly uninviting cover. TA 269 is not a Top 40 chart set and our guessing is that because it was one of the first RCA releases it was probably mis-numbered and should have been in the NA series.

The order of the early releases is based on the Australia Matrix system that CBS, Festival, Warner, and other Sydney based record companies adhered to – EMI and RCA are notable exceptions. This is often referred to as the MX number and can be found etched into the run out grooves.

Please note: the TA series is now complete apart from TA267 and TA270. Please contact me if you have the details or are willing to sell me a copy of either of these.